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Southern Maryland child dead after bounce house went airborne with kids inside – WTOP News

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Southern Maryland child dead after bounce house went airborne with kids inside – WTOP News


A 5-year-old boy from La Plata, Maryland, is dead after a bounce house in Waldorf went airborne while children were playing inside, officials said. 

A 5-year-old boy from La Plata, Maryland, is dead after a bounce house at the Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf was blown into the air while children were playing inside Friday night, officials said.

First responders from Charles County were called after 9:20 p.m. while kids were playing in a moon bounce house at the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball game.

A spokeswoman for the county said a wind gust blue the moon bounce anywhere from 15 to 20 feet high while an unknown number of kids were playing inside, “causing children to fall before it landed on the playing field.”

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“Charles County EMS personnel, who were already stationed at the stadium for the game, along with trainers from the baseball team and several Volunteer first responders who were in attendance, swiftly began patient care within minutes of the incident,” the county said in a news release Saturday.

The county said the 5-year-old boy was critically injured in the incident. He was later pronounced dead after being flown to Children’s National Hospital in D.C.

A second child was also injured when the moon bounce went airborne but is expected to survive.

“We extend our deepest empathy to the children and their families during this difficult time. We thank our EMS team and the Maryland State Police for their swift actions to ensure the children received immediate care,” Charles County Government Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II said in a statement.

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs canceled Saturday night’s game following the moon bounce incident. The team also said it was “offering counseling and support to families, players, and fans who attended” Friday night’s game.

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“Our entire organization shares our condolences with the family mourning the loss of a child, and concern for the child who was injured,” said Courtney Knichel, the team’s general manager. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.”

“All of a sudden, I saw the bounce house come flying through the air,” said Marie Ragano, who was in the stadium for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs game, attending a “Faith and Family Night” event.

From her view near and along the third baseline, she said the bounce house appeared to flip on the right field, tossing something out of the house and onto the field.

“As it came flying through the air, I saw something fly out of it. But I didn’t know if it was a child or not until I saw both teams’ players go running out into right field,” Ragano told WTOP.

Ragano said her family left about 20 minutes after people realized that at least one child was hurt, telling WTOP that she just wanted to get out of the way so emergency services could aid the injured kids.

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“I’m really sad,” she said holding back tears. “That a child’s out there playing … something like that happens. It’s just so sad.”

“We go to carnivals and stuff. You always wonder … is everything put together correctly?,” Ragano said. “You see these bounce houses flying through the air all the time on the news, so I’m not quite sure why this wasn’t anchored better.”

WTOP’s Bryan Albin contributed to this report.

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Arrest made after $40K worth of HVAC units stolen in Maryland, over 10 businesses impacted

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Arrest made after K worth of HVAC units stolen in Maryland, over 10 businesses impacted


A Maryland man has been arrested in connection with a string of thefts targeting heating and air conditioning units that impacted more than 10 businesses across the region, authorities said.

On Dec. 31, 2025, detectives with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside investigators from the Prince George’s County Police Department, took Thomas Guinyard, 30, of Hyattsville, into custody.

Charles County deputies said Guinyard has several active arrest warrants tied to the theft of heat pumps and air conditioning units valued at more than $40,000.

Authorities said the thefts caused widespread disruption to local businesses, with investigators confirming that more than 10 were affected.

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SEE ALSO | Man accused of stealing circuit breakers from nearly 50 Maryland homes

When deputies tried to approach him, Guinyard allegedly ran away but was apprehended without further incident, according to the sheriff’s office. During the arrest, deputies said they learned the vehicle Guinyard was driving had been reported stolen.

Guinyard faces a charge of theft and destruction of property. He is being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center.

Investigators continue to review the case to figure out whether more charges or related thefts may be connected to Guinyard, the sheriff’s office said.



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Md. Gov. Moore touts public safety funding increase, even with crime continuing to drop – WTOP News

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Md. Gov. Moore touts public safety funding increase, even with crime continuing to drop – WTOP News


Maryland Gov. Wes Moore noted the continuing decrease in crime across the state and shared a proposal to spend $124.1 million on public safety in the next fiscal year budget.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore speaks alongside Prince George’s County
Executive Aisha Braveboy and Police Chief George Nader(WTOP/John Domen)

Maryland lawmakers return to Annapolis next week, and plugging a roughly $1 billion budget hole will be one of many items on their agenda as the 2026 session gets underway.

This week, Gov. Wes Moore has been touting parts of the budget he’ll be unveiling, to go with legislation he intends to champion in Annapolis.

On Thursday, he stood in front of a huge gathering of police, federal law enforcement and prosecutors at the Maryland State Police Barracks in College Park to talk about the continuing decrease in crime and share a proposal to spend $124.1 million on public safety in the next budget.

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“That is the highest level of funding in our state’s history, and a $2.3 million increase over last year’s budget,” Moore said. “These are real resources for local police departments all throughout the state of Maryland.”

He said the funding will support overtime patrolling and new equipment that “officers need to make sure they are doing their job safely and that they can get home to their families.”

Moore also took issue with the premise, often posed to Democrats, that you have to choose between siding with law enforcement or siding with “the community,” arguing that he does both “unapologetically.” He also promised that his plan for public safety is both urgent and strategic.

“This is backed by data and built on three core pillars,” Moore said. “Provide the resources and the support that law enforcement needs; build stronger, more vibrant communities that leave no one behind; and coordinate all aspects of government and community to make sure that our streets are safer.”

As he enters the final year of his term, Moore highlighted a 25% reduction in homicides around the state, to a number he said is the lowest in 40 years. He also touted a 50% violent crime reduction and a sharp drop in non-fatal shootings.

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“This is not trends or vibes. It happens because we made smart investments, and it happened because we chose to do something really unique — work together,” Moore said. “We are standing here coordinated, bipartisan, nonpartisan, knowing that community safety does not have a partisan bend and protecting our neighbors does not have a political affiliation.”

At the same time, Moore said he wasn’t taking a victory lap about the heartening trends in crime just yet.

“We are making progress, yes, but we will not rest until everybody and all of our communities feel safe,” he said. “Too often, false choices will dominate the public safety debate. Do we want to hold criminals accountable, or do we want to focus on rehabilitation? We’re told to pick a side without understanding that’s not how people live.”



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What Rep. Hoyer’s retirement means for Maryland and what’s next

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What Rep. Hoyer’s retirement means for Maryland and what’s next




What Rep. Hoyer’s retirement means for Maryland and what’s next – NBC4 Washington



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